The present invention relates to a system, switch apparatus and method for call holding. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method, switch apparatus and system for managing a connection on hold to reduce the use of resources within the telephone network and/or to allow the user on hold to place their telephony device into an on hook state while on hold and/or to perform other telephony tasks while on hold.
It has become increasingly common for users in a telephony network to be placed on hold for relatively long periods of time. For example, connecting to an airline for reservation information or to a software company for technical support information can result in long hold periods where a user is placed on hold while awaiting their turn in the caller queue or while awaiting the person at the other end of the call to locate desired information and/or services. Such long hold periods are generally quite frustrating for users who are forced to continue to listen to supplied background music, advertisements or even silence throughout the hold period. Typical solutions to these frustrations include abandoning the call (by hanging up) or using a speakerphone (assuming the telephone is so equipped) to monitor the status of the call while performing other activities, etc.
In addition to the frustrations of being placed on hold for relatively long periods of time, there can be economic and/or network implications too. For example, in cellular telephone or wireless local loop networks, valuable network resources (i.e. radio bandwidth and/or transmission capacity) are consumed by such calls, even though no important information (i.e.xe2x80x94only the above-mentioned background music, etc.) is being exchanged between the users. Similarly, users of such wireless systems are typically charged for their connection time (airtime) and thus significant expense can be incurred when long hold periods are encountered and similar disadvantages occur with toll (long distance) calls over a landline or wireless system.
Another example of the economic disadvantages of long hold periods, this time to the called party, occurs with xe2x80x9c1-800xe2x80x9d or other toll-free (to the caller) call systems. Specifically, the callees which provide such systems can incur significant expenses when their call centers are busy and a caller must be placed on hold while queued. In many present circumstances, such callees have discontinued offering such toll-free telephone services to their call centers due to these costs, despite the fact that the lack of such toll-free services can hurt the marketing efforts and/or reputation of the callees.
It is therefore desired to have a system and method which reduces the network, economic and/or caller impact of relatively long hold periods.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel system, switch apparatus and method for call holding which obviates or mitigates at least some of the above-identified disadvantages of the prior art.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for managing a connection between two telephony devices, comprising the steps of:
(i) a user at a first of said two telephony devices indicating to a first switch to which the first of said two telephony devices is connected to terminate the connection in said first switch to place the connection on hold;
(ii) a user at a second of said two telephony devices indicating to a second switch to which the second of said two telephony devices is connected to implement a doubly-terminated connection in said second switch and said second switch terminating said connection;
(iii) sending a notice from said second switch to said user at said first switch indicating that said connection was placed into a doubly-terminated condition;
(iv) monitoring at said second switch to detect a signal from said user at said first switch indicating a desire to reestablish said connection;
(v) said second switch notifying said user at said second telephony device that it is desired to reestablish said connection;
(vi) if said second telephony device is placed in an off-hook state within a predefined time period, reestablishing said connection and ending said connection if said predefined time period is exceeded before said second telephony device is place in an off-hook condition.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for managing a connection between two telephony devices, comprising the steps of:
(i) a user at a first of said two telephony devices indicating to a first switch to which the first of said two telephony devices is connected to implement a Smart Hold for the connection;
(ii) said first switch indicating to said second telephony device that a Smart Hold will be implemented for said connection;
(iii) said first switch acquiring reconnection information from said second switch and creating a Hold Applet containing said reconnection information;
(iv) ending said connection between said first and second telephony device;
(v) said Hold Applet monitoring said first telephony device to determine when it is desired to reconnect to said second telephony device;
(vi) upon determining that it is desired to reconnect, said Hold Applet notifying a user of said second telephony device that it is desired to reestablish a connection; and
(vii) upon said second user confirming that a connection is to be reestablished, reestablishing a connection in accordance with said reconnection information.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switch apparatus for a switched telephone network for implementing a doubly terminated hold between a first and a second user, comprising:
means for receiving a request for a Smart Hold from said second user on hold;
means for terminating an existing connection to said first user within said switch apparatus to obtain a doubly terminated connection;
means to advise said first user that said connection has been doubly terminated;
means to receive a reconnect request from said first user;
means to advise said second user of the receipt of a reconnection request; and
means to monitor said second user and to reconnect said first user and said second user upon an confirmation to do so being received by said switch apparatus with in a predefined time period and to end said connection if said confirmation is not received within said time period.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided telecommunication system comprising:
a plurality of user telephony devices;
at least two switches operable to create connections between said user telephony devices, said switches operable to:
(i) terminate a connection to place the connection on hold in response to a request by a first connected user;
(ii) receive a request from a second connected user to implement a Smart Hold and to terminate said connection to achieve said Smart Hold;
(iii) advise said first connected user that said connection has been placed on Smart Hold;
(iv) receive a request from said first user to reconnect to said second user;
(v) advice said second user that a reconnection request has been received from said first user; and
(vi) reconnect said first and second user if said first user agrees within a predefined time period or end said connection if said predefined time period is exceeded before said agreement is received from said first user.
The present invention provides a method, apparatus and system for managing a telephone call on hold to reduce the use of resources within the telephone network and/or to allow the user on hold to place their telephony device into an on-hook state after they have been placed on hold. In two embodiments, a user of a telephony device who has been placed on hold can initiate a Smart Hold whereby their telephony device can be placed in an on-hook state while on hold and the user will be signaled when the call is to be removed from hold. This allows the user to perform other activities while a Smart Hold has been implemented, without the need to keep a telephone handset to their ear, for example. The freeing up of the local loop, or other resources of the user, can also be achieved. In another embodiment, the Smart Hold can be initiated by either party to a connection without requiring cooperation of the other party. In another embodiment, no connection is maintained while the Smart Hold is in effect and thus no toll charges or the like need be incurred while the Smart Hold is in effect.